Whether to wake the baby for feeding at night. Do I need to wake my newborn to feed day and night? Healthy sleep of a small person

No one will argue that there is no better food for a little peanut than breast milk. Of course, no mother will refuse to feed her precious child. However, there is often controversy among new parents about whether it is necessary to wake up a newborn baby at night for feeding. And what if he does not ask for food - feed or not?

Should I interrupt deep sleep? Can a night meal be harmful to the baby? We will dispel all your doubts and worries, and tell you the most basic points that all parents need to know, without exception.

A tiny person in the neonatal period is only interested in breast milk with breaks for sleep. Of course, I want to give the baby all the best and necessary for its development. Therefore, many mothers are interested in whether it is necessary to wake and feed him at night, and how long to keep him at the breast. In what cases should you go to the doctor as soon as possible if the baby wakes up quite often? We will also tell caring parents up to what age a newborn should be fed at night.

Benefits of night feeding

The hormone prolactin is most actively produced at night. As you know, he is responsible for the amount of mother's milk and is produced in response to the sucking of the mammary glands by the baby.
If you are interested in the question of whether it is necessary to feed a newborn baby at night and whether to wake a sleeping baby, you will be interested to know that at night the baby consumes about 20% of the total milk volume. Thus, regularly refreshed with treats at night, your baby will harmoniously develop and gain weight.
Night feedings help your baby feel better. As you know, colic or teething make themselves felt most clearly at night. It is equally important that such a pastime next to the mother contributes to the functioning of the nervous system.
In most cases, if a mother feeds her newborn on demand and does not deprive her of treats at night, her body protects itself from pregnancy (until menstruation resumes). This is influenced by the aforementioned hormone prolactin, which blocks the maturation of the egg. That is why most mothers who feed their babies only breast milk, menstruation resumes only 6-8 months after childbirth.
Night feedings while breastfeeding can protect the baby from death in a dream (SIDS), and the mother from emotional stress. Many women with breastfeeding admit that when the baby wakes up or wakes him up on his own to feed, they feel much calmer. But the mothers of artificers admit that they jumped out of bed several times a night to check the breathing of a newborn.
As you know, breast milk is a treasure trove. beneficial vitamins and minerals. It also contains substances that contribute to the normal sleep of the baby.

When asked how often to feed a baby at night, there is only one answer - how much the baby wants. Remember that this is an excellent prevention of lactostasis.

Night feeding newborn

Many parents are interested in why a newly born child sleeps for a long time and does not wake up in order to refresh himself with milk. It happens that the baby has to be woken up by the mother. What is the best way to do this? If your newborn does not respond to light tickling and facial stroking, try the following:

Lift up and immediately lower the handle of the sleeping crumbs. If the newborn began to suck, and his eyelids trembled, it means that he is in the active phase of sleep, so you can continue to wake him up. If the baby's handle falls and he does not respond to your actions, then he is now in a deep phase of sleep. During this period, it is not recommended to wake up and feed the children, wait 20 minutes, and then try again.

It may also be necessary to remove the blanket from the newborn or change the diaper. Usually, such actions of mothers do not frighten the crumbs, and they wake up quickly enough. The only thing you should not do is turn on bright lighting. Children's eyes are very sensitive, so the baby will, on the contrary, keep them closed. But with a soft, subdued light, the baby will wake up faster, and you can feed him.

If newborn babies do not wake up within 2-3 hours to eat, it might be related that:

The woman was given painkillers during childbirth and other medical preparations. They enter not only the body of the expectant mother, but also the fetus.
After birth, the baby sleeps separately from the mother. In this case, the fact that he sleeps soundly at night and does not require food is considered completely normal. Moms of such children can be recommended to practice co-sleeping. So your weakened or premature baby quickly adapts to the world around you, and you will not worry about how often to feed the baby.

Pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky says that if the baby does not wake up at night to feed himself, there is no need to wake him up. According to him, 5 hours of uninterrupted night sleep for an infant is the norm.

Dr. Komarovsky about night feedings: video

The opinion of a GV specialist: video

Is it necessary to wake the baby after 3 months

Of course, it is very convenient if the baby sleeps with you. Thus, he does not wake up to the end, but begins to turn his head, trying to find the chest, and smack his mouth. It is enough for mom to attach it to her chest and make sure that he actively eats. But what if the baby sleeps in a crib? Do you feed him? Experts answer - definitely yes, and several times a night (2-3).

To the question “how many times to wake up?”, Only you can find the answer, since each baby has individual characteristics. After all, there are kids who wake up every two hours to refresh themselves with breast milk.

Some doctors believe that in the absence of three full breastfeedings at night, women's production of mother's milk decreases.

Common myth

Most of the older generation (for example, our omniscient grandmothers) believe that it is not worth waking up the baby for feeding at night, because at this time it is better to accumulate milk in the breast. In fact, the mammary glands produce food for the newborn continuously. And the less milk remains in them, the faster a new portion is produced to replenish the reserves. In addition, do not forget that the more often you put the crumbs to the chest, the more nutritious and healthy treats produces breasts.

That is why there is a recommendation: if the mother has decreased lactation, it is necessary to increase the number of nightly feedings of the newborn. It is at night (or rather, before 5 am) that the hormone prolactin is produced in the greatest amount, which is responsible for the production of milk by the mammary glands.

This recommendation also applies to women with mixed feeding. Usually, mothers give formula because there is not enough breast milk. But it is precisely due to the fact that you will wake up and feed the baby at night with a natural “product”, its amount will increase. Also, experts note that a harmless bottle with a mixture can cause acute colic and “give” caring parents a sleepless night. Remember that after all, breast milk is absorbed much better by the delicate stomach of the baby.

If the baby wakes up several times a night, and there is not enough milk for two full feedings, you can give him sweet milk to drink, and then you can feed the newborn with a mixture. At the same time, the nursing parent (for example, dad) must ensure that the child does not fall asleep during feeding. To do this, you can stroke a tiny face or a pen. And, perhaps, such actions will have to be repeated several times.

Until what age should a toddler be fed?

How often to feed, when to stop - these are questions that mothers are interested in no less than "do I need to wake the baby for feeding." First of all, it should be said that this individual processes, and the time of weaning depends only on the amount of milk you have and the development of the newborn. Experts believe that it is better to wait until the baby refuses treats at night. It also affects how much time the mother spends with the baby. If a woman works, and grandmothers sit with her daughter or son, then it is possible that the baby will wake up at night for a long time. He will use this time to be with his mother.

Every baby has a different process of giving up night feedings. One baby by 9-10 month old completely switches to a common table, stops waking up at night and suckles breasts only during the day. Another baby wakes up at the age of 1-2 years to eat milk. The main thing is that you must understand that there is nothing abnormal in this, and there is no need to sound the alarm at all.

When should you see a doctor

Sometimes, if the baby wakes up too often and behaves restlessly at night, this may indicate that he is not completely healthy. Therefore, if he is not worried about a stuffy nose or colic, teeth, it is better to consult a specialist in such cases:

The baby eats more than 4 times a night. Most likely, he does not eat enough in the daytime. You may need to introduce early solids (but not milk) or breastfeed as often as possible for a while. This will help produce milk.
The baby behaves restlessly and almost does not suckle the breast. This may indicate neurological problems, but only a qualified specialist can make a diagnosis.
Many mothers notice that if the baby often wakes up at night to eat, most likely, tomorrow the son or daughter will have the first symptoms of a cold. In this case, you can start giving one of the drugs for the prevention of SARS.

Now you know whether it is necessary to wake up the baby and imagine all the features of feeding a child at night, both in the neonatal period and in adulthood. We think that you will be able to adjust the feeding schedule of the baby not only to his needs, but also give yourself the opportunity to get enough sleep. After all, the baby needs a healthy and well-rested mother!

When and how to wake up a child? This question arises because often parents are simply afraid to wake the baby. Let's figure out when it is necessary to wake up the baby and how to do it right?

When does it become necessary to wake up the child?

All situations in which it is worth waking up the baby can be divided into 3 groups:

Newborns.

If a newborn baby sleeps more than 3 hours during the day and more than 5 hours at night, then he must be awakened for feeding. Being so long without feeding, the baby can get dehydrated.

Morning dream.

If the morning sleep dragged on later than 7:30 in the morning, then it is worth waking up the baby. This will allow you to maintain the correct regimen from the very beginning of the day and adhere to the principle of “early bedtime” by the evening.

daytime sleep.

It is worth waking up the baby from daytime sleep if the daytime sleep is prolonged (more than 2 hours), and also if the last daytime sleep lasts after 17 hours. Such prolonged sleep can shift the time of leaving for a night's sleep.

How to wake up a baby?

No need to wake the baby with touches or kisses, it is better to create conditions for awakening. How to do it?

1) Add light: part the curtains, turn on the light

2) Increase household noises: turn off the "white noise", open the door to the room where the baby is sleeping, speak in a normal voice, do not mask household sounds

3) Remove sleep/sleep assist: if you have been rocking the stroller/crib, stop

All of the above will give the baby the opportunity to wake up on his own when emerging from deep sleep, so waking up will be more comfortable.

The maternal instinct tells us to encourage and protect the sleep of babies, since normally all newborns sleep as much as they want, and wake up on their own at those moments when they have such a need (for example, the need to eat).

And this practice is really good for all mammals - after all, in nature, babies are born in natural conditions without the use of a large number medicines during childbirth and after them, and they are not separated from their mother after their birth more than nature provides for their biological species.

However, for human babies, things are somewhat different. Nature does not provide that amount medicines, which some children receive during the birth process - for example, when using epidural anesthesia in childbirth, its side effect Unusual drowsiness of the newborn may become. Also, the problem of long sleeps and difficult awakenings can be relevant for premature and underweight babies, babies with elevated bilirubin and kids who were separated from mother in first few days after birth (away from the mother, newborn babies can go into the so-called "energy saving mode"). And if there is no mother or other caring adult next to such little dormouse, who would help them build their sleep schedule and “remind” that it is time to eat, then the baby may receive insufficient nutrition and quickly lose strength. In this case, with rare independent awakenings, the baby may not suck as actively as before, receive little milk, lose strength even more and wake up even less often. There is a vicious circle, the way out of which is to wake the baby up if necessary at the discretion of the parents.

Is it necessary to wake the baby for feeding?

If the baby wakes up less than once every 3 hours, but at the same time is in good physical contact with the mother, gains weight well, sucks enthusiastically during attachment to the breast and has a sufficient amount of urination and normal stools, then such a dream pattern is probably and waking is his individual feature, and in this case, mom should not worry, and devote the freed time to her extra rest. Otherwise, it is better to help the baby wake up at least once every three hours during the day, and at least 2-3 times at night until the baby independently enters a regimen that allows him to feel good and gain weight well. . The optimal regimen for each specific situation will be prompted by the doctor observing the baby, or.

With all this, the mother should pay attention to the condition of her breasts - since feeding on demand implies mutual "requirements" of mother and baby, then a very full or painful breast is also a reason to wake up the baby for "extraordinary" attachment to the breast at the request of the mother.

How to wake up a baby who does not want to wake up?

Of course, the ways of awakening are very individual - different babies will react differently to them. By experimenting, each mother will find the softest and most effective method wake up your baby and keep him interested in feeding until his drowsiness passes.

The best time to wake up your baby is when he is in REM sleep. In this phase, you can see rapid eye movements under the closed eyelids of the crumbs, spontaneous movements of the arms and legs, lip movements (including sucking movements) and changes in the expression of the little face.

Try a few of the following tips - which ones are right for you?

If there is a bright light in the room, dim it (it is much easier for children to keep their eyes open when they do not have to squint);
Open the child - remove the blanket or diapers from him;
Undress the baby to the diaper if the room is very warm (sucking activity decreases at temperatures above 27°C);
Talk to your child, try to make eye contact with him;
Take the child in your arms vertically with a "column";
Ensure skin-to-skin contact by gently holding the baby to your breast;
Or vice versa - put the child away from you on the bed (many children wake up when they no longer feel their mother nearby);
Lay the baby on its back on a flat, hard surface (a bed or soft carpet may be too soft to wake up);
With gentle rubbing movements, massage the feet and hands of the child. Stroke or do a light patting back massage;
Very gently twist the baby from the left barrel to the right and vice versa;
Run your finger across your baby's lips in a circular motion.

If these methods do not help, you can try more active methods of awakening:

Wipe the forehead and cheeks of the baby with a cool, damp sponge or diaper;
Change your baby's diaper;
Try washing your baby under running warm water;
Express some colostrum or milk directly into your baby's mouth and wait for the baby to swallow this small amount before expressing another.

However, after waking up, the baby may still be quite sleepy and not show much interest in suckling, or even try to sleep again at the breast. Therefore, in order to support your child's sucking activity, try the following actions:

Make sure that the chest does not press on the baby's face (support it with your hand);
Use chest compression technique to make the milk flow easier;
Change your chest every time the baby starts to lose interest in suckling (suitable for babies in their first days of life; for older children, consult a specialist in breastfeeding);
Sometimes feeding in a position from under the arm (" soccer player pose helps the baby stay active and suckle longer than the cradle or lying position;
Gently stroke the top of your baby's head in a circular motion while breastfeeding.

Be aware that babies may doze off during feedings - especially in the cradle position or lying next to the mother. This is normal and does not prevent babies from getting enough milk - after all, in the end, our goal is not so much to wake up the baby without fail, but to feed him in time. Therefore, if you feel that the baby is sucking evenly and steadily with closed eyes, just relax and enjoy feeding!

Bibliography:

Newman, J. & Pitman, T. The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers. Roseville, California: Prima 2000
The womanly art of breastfeeding. – 8th ed. / Diane Wiessinger, Diana West, and Teresa Pitman, 2010

Alena Korotkova, clinical psychologist, lactation consultant

Alena Lukyanchuk, psychologist, lactation consultant

When should you wake up your baby for feeding?

In some cases, it is simply necessary to wake the newborn for feeding. First of all, this applies to mothers whose babies are not gaining weight well. After all, with prolonged sleep, the child does not receive the necessary useful material. Critical weight loss can lead to a decrease in the development of the child.

Also, it is during the neonatal period that neonatologists and pediatricians recommend feeding every 2 hours. In the first 28 days, waking up a newborn for feeding is simply necessary both for establishing mother's lactation and for the development of the baby. At the same time, doctors often recommend in the first days to apply the baby for one feeding to both breasts.

If the mother does not practice co-sleeping with the child, then if the baby sleeps too long, it is better to wake him up for feeding. If the mother practices joint sleep, then the child can eat half asleep.

If there was a lactation crisis, then you need to put the baby to the breast as often as possible. Otherwise, the milk may burn out.

If the mother has a blockage of the milk ducts - lactostasis, then you need to apply the child to the sore breast as often as possible, preventing it from overflowing. In this case, it is imperative to wake the newborn for feeding. Otherwise, complications in the form of mastitis are possible.

It is also worth considering the fact that the older the child, the longer the intervals between feedings become.

How to wake up a baby for feeding

So that the awakening of the child for feeding does not turn into a tantrum and nervous breakdowns you need to follow these simple tips:

Each dream is divided into active and deep. When you need to wake the baby for feeding, you just need to wait for the active phase and remove the blanket. As a rule, the child will immediately wake up on his own. If the baby has not woken up, then you can stroke him along the body to the legs. When the newborn opens his eyes, it is better to take him in his arms and hold him for a while. It is also advisable to change the baby's diaper before feeding.
If you hold the child in a “column”, pressing it to the chest, then he will definitely open his eyes.
Some parents begin to quietly hum some children's song to wake up the baby. But in no case should you turn on the radio or TV, make a lot of noise next to a sleeping baby, or turn on bright lights. Such actions of parents are likely to bring the child to fear and hysteria.
Stroking and massaging the newborn's back will help improve blood circulation and then the baby will wake up faster.

Do not worry that after waking up, the child will arrange a "sleepless night" for the parents. As a rule, having eaten milk, the child quickly falls asleep.

Is it okay to wake a sleeping baby or is it a bad idea?

Newborn babies often have confusion between day and night.

Childrencan often sleep their longest sleep during the day instead of at night. In the first weeks of life, sleep is distributed evenly throughout the day.

The task of the first months of life: to normalize the circadian rhythm.

As we grow older, daytime sleep shortens and nighttime sleep lengthens. Sometimes there is too much daytime sleep and this interferes with nighttime sleep.

There are several situations when it is worth waking up the child:

If your baby is at least two months old and still hasn't made it through their long nap. Then it is worth limiting the length of daytime sleep and stimulating the lengthening of night sleep.
If your baby has trouble gaining weight in the first weeks of life and sleeps too long at night or during the day, you should consult with your pediatrician as soon as possible. Too long is if the uninterrupted stretch of sleep exceeds 5 hours at a time.
It is worth limiting the length of sleep during the day at any age to protect the regime. The only exceptions are newborns and babies up to two or three months. In the first weeks, it is better to let the child work out his own rhythm. How to determine if a child sleeps a lot during the day? See below.

Your baby sleeps too much during the day if:

At 3 months: a single sleep of more than 3 hours,

At 4 months: one nap of more than 2.5 hours and / or more than 4.5 hours of total daytime sleep,

At 5 months: one nap of more than 2 hours and/or more than 4 hours of cumulative daytime sleep,

At 6 months: one nap of more than 2 hours and/or more than 3.5 hours of cumulative daytime sleep,

At 7/8 months: one nap more than 2 hours and/or more than 3.25 hours of cumulative daytime sleep,
At 9-13 months: one nap of more than 2 hours and/or more than three hours of cumulative daytime sleep,

After 13 months: more than 3 hours of cumulative daytime sleep,

After 3-4 years according to the situation. Daytime nap avoidance can occur as early as this age. Daytime sleep can interfere with nighttime sleep.

However, these standards are only guidelines. Some children need more sleep than others. Prolonged sleep will not hurt your child if there are no problems with sleep at night.

In addition, an increased need for sleep may be during a period of physical discomfort.